Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

Peanut Butter Cups were one of my favorite chocolate treats growing up. I wasn’t allowed to have them often (thank goodness), but my mom bought them on occasion. I would savor every peanut buttery bite. Well now I can still enjoy my old-time favorite, but in a healthier and cruelty-free way with these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.

Most of us think of the name Reese’s when someone mentions peanut butter cups. They date back to 1928 and were invented by H.B Reese. It was a genius creation to blend these two ingredients together in a heavenly little treat. However, have you ever seen the ingredients in them? Ugh, it’s awful! They, of course, contain unhealthy fat, animal ingredients, and refined everything, but two of the ingredients include PGPR & TBHQ. One google search on them and you’ll never go near a Reese’s again (or anything that contains them). How can these ingredients be labeled as “safe”? This makes me really mad and it shouldn’t be allowed in our food. Children are ingesting this crap and it’s just wrong.

O.k, let’s move on to the good stuff…

These homemade little bites are the polar opposite of Reese’s. They’re free of refined sugars, dairy, gluten or anything artificial. The ingredients are quite simple and you probably have them in your pantry now, waiting to come out. You’ll just need the superstars of the bunch, which is the natural peanut butter and chocolate (raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder). Now, we’re talking! Next up, is the virgin coconut oil, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt. That’s it! No chemical needed! Just pure goodness from nature!

Along with being guilt-free, you’ll also get some superfood nutrition for your body. The raw cacao is a great source of iron, magnesium, zinc, omega 6 and it’s loaded with antioxidants. Also, you’ll get a nice dose of heart-healthy fat from the coconut oil, too. Now, I’m not saying to eat a whole batch of these peanut butter cups in one sitting, but you can enjoy a serving-size without feeling guilty. Even once a day won’t hurt. Sounds wonderful, right?

These lovelies are stored in the freezer, and they last for quite a while. The gremlins in my home eat them too fast, so I never get to save them. Make extra, if you have gremlins in your home, too. When you are ready to have one, just let it sit for 2-3 minutes before enjoying. They soften fast.

So, are you ready to try this melt-in-your-mouth, chocolatey, nut-buttery goodness?

Place coconut oil, cacao powder, salt & maple syrup in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently until ingredients are combined & melted. Be careful not to burn. Then add the vanilla and mix well. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

For Standard Size:

Place standard-sized muffin liners on a small baking sheet, or in a muffin tray. Fill bottom of muffin liners with 2 teaspoons chocolate sauce. Pop in freezer for about 10-15 minutes.

Remove from freezer and place 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons peanut butter in center of chocolate. Flatten & spread with a spoon, avoiding the edges of the liner (if possible). Pour 1 tablespoon of chocolate on top of peanut butter, covering it completely. Pop back in freezer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

For Mini Size:

Place mini muffin liners on a small baking sheet, or tray. Fill bottom of muffin liners with 1 teaspoon chocolate sauce. Pop in freezer for about 10 minutes.

Remove from freezer and place 1/2 - 1 teaspoon peanut butter in center of chocolate. Flatten & spread with a spoon, avoiding the edges of the liner. (if possible) Pour 1 1/2 teaspoons of chocolate on top of peanut butter, covering it completely. Pop back in freezer for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

If you make these Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me, Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs.

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Comments

Omg, so easy and delicious! I made these for my boyfriend for his birthday, we are both vegan! Prior to finding this EASY recipe I ordered vegan chocolate from California to get my fix. .lol. I’m not a big sweet eater but do like a treat once in awhile. Thank you for sharing.

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Vegan Huggs is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Posts may contain affiliate links, which means I make a small commission if you purchase the item. I only link items that I use myself.